


I Wish

by FrozenHearts



Category: Into the Woods (2014)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Gen, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Witch Curses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 08:26:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7353388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The baker and his wife meet the baker's long-lost sister.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Wish

**Author's Note:**

> So i watched 2014's Into The Woods yesterday, and I loved it, it was such a nice adaption of the musical, and one thing bothered me: The witch said she took the baker's sister, and so i deduced that Rapunzel had to be the sister because she said they would never find her, and she was shocked when the baker's wife found Rapunzel's tower, and horrified when she saw the wife was holding Rapunzel's hair.
> 
> But it's never touched upon! Why?! So this is my take on how they could have been united, i hope you like it!

Her mother dragged her by the arm through the brush, kicking aside vegetation and branches. Dead leaves caught on the hem of her cloak and dress, the pearl pink velvet muddied and crumpled. Her mother's blue-gray hair was frazzled as they made their way, and Rapunzel found herself wrenching herself away from the older woman.

"Mother, I said-" she started angrily, her cheeks heating up as she took a step back.

"I don't care, my child!" her mother cut her off, "I am your mother! What I say goes!" A brisk wind came through, playing with the ends of her clothes and hair. Rapunzel shivered, pulling her cloak closer to herself, rubbing her arms. She wished she was back with her prince. Anywhere but here, with the woman she called "Mother." Anywhere but with the witch.

Her mother had started looking around, her beady eyes darting to and fro, heels kicking at roots and her head jolting at every sound. It seemed she was expecting someone, and Rapunzel felt her heart soar- what if it was he? Her prince? He'd sweep her off her feet, ride off with her on his horse to his castle, where it was nice and comforting. No more towers, no more blackberries on Sundays. No more hair-pulling and most of all, there would be doors. To come and go as she pleased-

"Rapunzel, come!" her mother broke through her thoughts, "We don't have much time, the blue moon is tonight!"

Rapunzel pouted at her mother's back. This wasn't fair! She wasn't supposed to be running around in the woods, she was supposed to be with her prince! With-

"Baker!" her mother cried out, "Have you brought what I asked of you?"

Rapunzel watched as a man with blonde hair and a stout figure approached her mother. His brown jacket had flecks of white flour, his sleeves rolled up to show arms that were used to working. A young woman, a bit taller than herself, stood with him, her face full of hope and framed by wisps of reddish brown hair the same color as her faded dress. The man thrust an arm at her mother, nodding vigorously.

"H-here!" he almost shouted, "A cape as red as blood, um...."

The woman (Rapunzel assumed she was his wife, "The slipper as pure as gold!" The man nodded, exchanging a thankful look with his wife as they produced the items. Her mother reached out for them, only to recoil, her face contorted with disgust. Rapunzel found herself pulled to her mother's side, her hand gripping her wrist so tight she thought it would bruise.

"Right, right!" the baker said, "Cape as red as blood, slipper as pure as gold, and the cow as white as milk, we have that too!"

Rapunzel scrunched her nose at the couple. What were they going on about? Looking at her mother, she said, "Mother? What do these people want? Do you know them?"

Her mother glared, eyeing the items enviously. Rapunzel sighed, "Mr. Baker, may I ask what you want with my mother?"

The baker gaped, looking between the two women. His wife bit her lip, scrunching the cape in her hands.

"M-Mother?" the baker asked. Rapunzel nodded. Before she could say anything, the baker turned on the witch, "You're her mother?! What's next, we have a nephew too?!"

Her mother opened her mouth to say something but could not find the words. The baker's wife had her gaze focused on Rapunzel, making her skin crawl. Blue eyes bore into her, filled with awe and sympathy and pain. The baker shook the slipper at the witch, brow furrowed with anger. The wind picked up with each word, each bark of agony and fury in that moment. Rapunzel wrapped her fingers around her mother's wrist.

"Mother?" she asked, "Mother, I don't understand, what is this man saying?"

Her mother looked at her, feigning innocence as she shrugged, "I don't know, darling let's go-"

"You said you took my sister!" the baker wagged a finger at the witch, "You said you took her someplace I'd never find her, now tell me." Rapunzel shared a glance with hus wife as he asked, "Is this her?"

The witch rolled her eyes as Rapunzel pulled away from her. This was wrong, this was wrong and she felt betrayed and disgusted.

"I had a family?" Rapunzel asked, her voice soft against the whistle of the wind.

"Rapunzel, please-"

This time it was the baker's wife who spoke, "You're the Rapunzel I overheard the prince talking about earlier?"

Rapunzel grinned, wrapping her arms around the woman, "You met my prince!" The baker's wife nodded, her happy expression faltering as she turned to the witch.

"I also found the hair as yellow as corn," she said, rummaging through her satchel to produce none other than a long braid of yellow hair.

Rapunzel's hair.

"Mother?" Rapunzel felt she may cry, "Why do these people bring you such items?"

The witch sighed heavily, scowling at the baker who was glaring furiously, "I cursed their house when your mother was pregnant with you and the baker. He was stealing my gardens!"

Rapunzel looked at the baker. Her brother. His face was kind, his arms welcoming. His wife was the same. She looked back at the witch. Instead of the usual motherly love, she saw nothing but loathing and hate.

"You denied me a family for eighteen years over plants?" Rapunzel finally found the courage to speak.

"But I am your family! Mr. Baker and gus wife here are only giving me these items because they want a child! What makes you think they'll want you?"

The baker's wife stepped forward angrily, "Excuse me-!" 

The witch ignored her, adding, "What would you have to offer them? Hmmm? Your naive and ignorant of the world around you-"

"Only because you locked her in a tower her whole life!" the baker cried. Rapunzel eyed her brother carefully. She had never seen anyone stand up to her mother this way. She herself had never tried.

"Now me and my wife," the baker said with an air of command, "are going to take these items with us, and Rapunzel is coming with us as well."

Rapunzel widened her eyes at him.

"What about my prince?" she asked, "Your child, surely-"

The baker's wife put a protective arm around her shoulder, steering her away from the witch. Rapunzel could hear her mother screech with anger as they walked away.

"Don't worry, dear," the baker's wife reassured her lovingly, "we'll help you find your prince."

Rapunzel smiled, leaves crunching under her shoes, "Really?"

The baker walked in stride to Rapunzel's left, a newfound happiness in his eyes.

"Yes," he said with a nod, "we'll do our best to find him, but for now? I want to catch up with my sister. You said your name is Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel nodded, smiling at the baker. The baker stuck out gis hand.

"Nice to meet you, Rapunzel, I'm your brother."

The three of them paid no mind to the echoing howls of the witch as she watched them leave, the blue moon almost upon the wood as shafts of light dipped between the trees.

**Author's Note:**

> The story was from Rapunzel's view only because in the movie, the baker and his wife don't have names, they're just called "Baker" and "Baker's Wife" lol
> 
> So I had a lot of fun writing this, I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
